Guzmania plant named &#39;Primavera&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Guzmania  plant named ‘Primavera’, characterized by its upright and outwardly arching growth habit; broad inflorescences with showy dark red-colored bracts; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Guzmania hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PRIMAVERA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Guzmaniaplant, botanically known as Guzmania hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Primavera’.

The new Guzmania plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventors in Laarne, Belgium. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new Guzmania plants having unique bractcolors and enhanced postproduction longevity.

The new Guzmania originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventors in January, 2005 in Laarne, Belgium of Guzmania hybrida‘Denise’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamedproprietary selection of Guzmania cardinalis×Guzmania variegata, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Guzmania plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plantfrom within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Laarne, Belgium in November, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Guzmania plant by tissue culture in acontrolled environment in Laarne, Belgium since March, 2010 has shownthat the unique features of this new Guzmania plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Guzmania have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Primavera’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Primavera’ as a new and distinct Guzmaniaplant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly arching growth habit.    -   2. Broad inflorescences with showy dark red-colored bracts.    -   3. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Guzmania can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, ‘Denise’. Plants of the new Guzmania differ primarily fromplants of ‘Denise’ in plant size as plants of the new Guzmania haveshorter flower scapes than plants of ‘Denise’. In addition, plants ofthe new Guzmania and ‘Denise’ differ in bract color as plants of‘Denise’ have lighter red-colored bracts.

Plants of the new Guzmania can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Guzmania differ primarily from plants ofthe male parent selection in plant size as plants of the new Guzmaniahave longer flower scapes than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Guzmania can be compared to plants of Guzmania hybrida‘Calypso’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the newGuzmania and ‘Calypso’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Guzmania have longer flower scapes than        plants of ‘Calypso’.    -   2. Plants of the new Guzmania and ‘Calypso’ differ in bract        color as plants of ‘Calypso’ have lighter red-colored bracts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Guzmania plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Guzmania plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Primavera’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘Primavera’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the winter in 12-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Laarne, Belgium and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Guzmania production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 21° C. to 30° C.,night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 21° C. and maximum light levelswere 18,000 lux. Plants were three years old when the photographs anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Guzmania hybrida ‘Primavera’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Guzmania hybrida ‘Denise’, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Guzmania cardinalis×Guzmania variegata, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.        -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; creamy white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly arching plant            habit; broad inverted triangle; basal rosette of outwardly            curved strap-like leaves affixed in tight spiral ranks;            terminal inflorescence on an upright scape emerging from the            center of the basal rosette; moderately vigorous growth            habit.        -   Plant height, soil surface to top of foliar plane.—About            32.4 cm.        -   Plant height, soil surface to top of inflorescence.—About            48.1 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 73.8 cm.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Basal rosette, spiral phyllotaxis; leaves            sessile.        -   Length.—About 47.1 cm.        -   Width.—About 4.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Ligulate; slightly concave.        -   Apex.—Apiculate.        -   Base.—Sheathing.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Aspect.—Leaves curved outward over their length and arching            downward towards the apex.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Leathery,            stiff; smooth, glabrous; glossy.        -   Venation.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            146A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between            NN137A and 147A; venation, similar to lamina. Fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A; venation, similar to            lamina.        -   Leaf sheath.—Length: About 10.7 cm. Width: About 8.3 cm.            Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;            slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth,            glabrous; moderately glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to            161A to 161B. Color, lower surface: Close to 161A; towards            the base, close to 166A to 166B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence form.—Terminal inflorescences with showy            bracts; inflorescences supported on erect and strong scapes.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 10.9 cm.        -   Inflorescence width.—About 20.6 cm.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences of the new Guzmania            are long-lasting; bract coloration is maintained for about            four to five months; inflorescences persistent.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Guzmania flower            naturally from spring until the autumn; plants begin            flowering about three to four months.        -   Flowers.—Appearance and quantity: Single small flowers with            about twelve flowers developing per inflorescence. Diameter:            About 4 mm. Depth (height): About 1.7 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            glossy. Color: Close to 15A and 15B; completely covered with            a transparent bract, close to 153D.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Three. Length: About 1.6 cm.            Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Narrowly oblong. Apex: Bluntly            acute. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and            luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and            luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy.            Color, immature and mature, upper surface: Close to 15A;            towards the base, close to 1A and 1B. Color, immature and            mature, lower surface: Close to 15A; towards the base, close            to 1A and 1B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Three. Length: About 2.6 cm.            Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Narrowly oblong to lanceolate.            Apex: Acute. Base: Broadly cuneate. Texture and luster,            upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy. Texture            and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly            glossy. Color, immature, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            155A; towards the apex, close to 160C and 160D. Color,            mature, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155A; towards the            apex, close to 160C and 160D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Three.            Filament length: About 9 mm. Filament color: Close to 157A.            Anther length: About 7 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly sagittate.            Anther color: Close to 155A. Pollen: None observed. Pistils:            Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 9 mm. Style            length: About 7.5 cm. Style color: Close to 4C. Stigma            diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Clavate, three-lobed.            Stigma color: Close to 5C. Ovary color: Close to 145D.        -   Scapes.—Length: About 38.9 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Texture and luster: Smooth,            glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: Close to between 145C and            150C.        -   Flower bracts.—Length: About 4.5 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm.            Shape: Oblong. Apex: Bluntly acute. Base: Broadly cuneate.            Margins: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: When developing and fully developed, upper            surface: Close to 34A to 34C; towards the base, close to            155A to 155C. When developing and fully developed, lower            surface: Close to 34B to 34C; towards the base, close to            155A to 155B.        -   Scape bracts.—Length: About 10.7 cm. Width: About 3.1 cm.            Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Sheathing the scape.            Margins: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: When developing, upper surface: Close to            N45A. When developing, lower surface: Close to 45A. Fully            developed, upper surface: Close to N45A; apex, close to            137A. Fully developed, lower surface: Close to 45A; apex,            close to 146A.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Guzmania have been observed    to tolerate high temperatures about 40° C. and to be suitable for    USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Guzmania have not been    observed to resistant to pathogens and pests common to Guzmania    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Guzmania plant named ‘Primavera’ asillustrated and described.